Abstract

ROLE OF CLINICAL PHARMACIST IN CRITICAL CARE AREAS: A REVIEW

Joanna Joy*, Dhanya Dharman, Shaiju S. Dharan

Abstract

Intensive care unit recovery clinics (ICU-RCs) have been proposed as a potential mechanism to address the multifaceted unmet needs of intensive care unit (ICU) survivors and caregivers. The needs of this population include, but are not limited to, medication optimization, addressing physical function and psychological needs, coordination of care, and other interventions that may help in improving patient recovery and reducing the rate of preventable readmissions. The objective of this opinion paper is to identify and describe clinical pharmacy services for the management of ICU survivors and their caregivers in an ICU-RC. The goals are to guide the establishment and development of clinical pharmacist involvement in ICU-RCs and to highlight ICU recovery research and educational opportunities. Recommendations provided in this paper are based on the following: a review of published data on clinical pharmacist involvement in the ICU-RCs; a consensus of clinical pharmacists who provide direct patient care to ICU survivors and caregivers; and a review of published guidelines and literature focusing on the management of ICU survivors and caregivers. These recommendations define areas of clinical pharmacist involvement in ICU-RCs.

Keywords: .